OTTAWA — Canada will send up to 100 military advisers to Iraq but won't participate in a combat capacity, the prime minister said Friday.

Several dozen members of Canada's Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) will be deployed once arrangements are finalized with the Iraqi government, a senior government official told QMI Agency

Speaking from a NATO summit in Wales, Stephen Harper said the Canadian Forces members will provide strategic and tactical advice to Iraqi forces as they begin operations to combat the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group, which has taken over parts of Syria and Iraq and has been accused of crimes against humanity.

"The fanaticism of the terrorist group is a real threat to regional security and millions of innocent people in Iraq, Syria and beyond," Harper said. "Left unchecked, ISIS is also a direct threat to Canada and its allies."

The initial deployment could last up to 30 days.

"They will work closely with U.S. forces (and) will remain under full command of Canada's chief of defence staff," Jason MacDonald, Harper's communications director, told QMI Agency. "This is an advise-and-assist role, not one in which Canadian Forces will be accompanying Iraqi forces on missions and tactical operations."

The government didn't elaborate on where Canadian personnel would be stationed within Iraq.

When pressed on the potential dangers of the mission, Harper said he believes the inherent risks are "manageable and acceptable."

Rob Huebert, senior researcher at the University of Calgary's Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, said sending Canadian military personnel to Iraq is "not a meaningless contribution." With more than a decade of experience fighting Taliban forces in Afghanistan, Canadians have much to offer in the battle against ISIS.

"There is the threat to human security, but also the threat of so many Canadians having gone abroad, whether they'll bring the fight back to us," he told QMI Agency.